Nearly 250,000 children living in poverty in Greater Manchester

Nearly a quarter of a million children across Greater Manchester are living in poverty-stricken households claiming Universal Credit, new figures have revealed.

Ahead of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement, the charity Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has highlighted the data released by the DWP and is urging the government to prevent more children from being pulled into poverty.

The figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) reveal that across the city region 237,882 children belong to families claiming Universal Credit. Of those, 67,446 are below the age of four.

In the Rochdale borough, 22,489 children belong to families claiming Universal Credit, with 6,454 under fours.

New analysis from CPAG finds that while prices will be 17% higher for all households in 2023/24 compared to 2021/22, low-income households will see a 21% rise in prices because they must spend a much higher proportion of their income on necessities like energy and food which have risen most sharply.

Working couples on Universal Credit with two children would be £752 worse off in 2023/24 if benefits rise with wages (5.4%) rather than inflation (10.2%), say CPAG. Working lone parents with two children would be £654 worse off.

Chief executive of CAPG Alison Garnham said: “Children are going hungry because family budgets are at snapping point.

“This problem has been long in the making and in the current crisis another real-terms cut is indefensible.

“The Prime Minister [Rishi Sunak] has said he will protect the most vulnerable – as a minimum that means uprating benefits with inflation so that children have enough food and warmth this winter – but longer term more will be needed.

“Trading children’s health for efficiency savings cannot be an option.”

The borough with the highest number of children living in families claiming Universal Credit is Manchester with 57,934, with 16,062 of those under the age of four.

The city is followed by Bolton with 26,465 (7,351 under four); Oldham with 26,390 (7,714 under four); Salford with 23,016 (7,185 under four); Wigan with 22,745 (6,482 under four); Rochdale with 22,489 (6,454 under four); Tameside with 19,747 (5,690 under four); Stockport with 15,149 (4,027 under four); Bury with 13,092 (3,751 under four) and Trafford with 10,855 (2,730 under four).

 

Nick Jackson, Local Democracy Reporting Service